Maxwell Caulfield

Last updated

Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield (cropped).jpg
Caulfield in 2010
Born
Maxwell P.J. Newby

(1959-11-23) 23 November 1959 (age 65)
Belper, Derbyshire, England
Other namesMaxwell Findlater
OccupationActor
Years active1967–present
Spouse
(m. 1980)

Maxwell Caulfield (born Maxwell P.J. Newby; 23 November 1959) is a British actor. He has appeared in Grease 2 (1982), Electric Dreams (1984), The Boys Next Door (1985), The Supernaturals (1986), Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989), Waxwork 2 (1992), Gettysburg (1993), Empire Records (1995), The Real Blonde (1997), The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997), and in A Prince for Christmas (2015). In 2015, Caulfield toured Australia with his wife Juliet Mills and sister-in-law Hayley Mills in the comedy Legends! by Pulitzer Prize winner James Kirkwood. He voiced James Bond in the video game James Bond 007: Nightfire (2002). He most recently stars in the Netflix movie The Merry Gentlemen (2024).

Contents

Early life

Maxwell P.J. Newby was born on 23 November 1959 in Belper, Derbyshire, the elder son of Peter Newby and Oriole Rosalind Findlater. [1] His younger brother, Marcus, is also an actor. [2] By 1965, his parents had parted and his mother legally abandoned the surname Newby in favour of her maiden name. Although he did not work regularly as a child actor, at the age of seven he played "Ted" in the 1967 film Accident and was billed as Maxwell Findlater. [3] [4]

Caulfield's American stepfather reportedly kicked him out of the house at the age of 15. Caulfield became an exotic dancer at London's Windmill Theatre to obtain an Equity card enabling him to work as an actor. [5]

Theatre

After obtaining a green card, [6] he made his New York City debut in Hot Rock Hotel (1978) after moving from the UK to the United States, and the following year made his stage debut in Class Enemy (1979), in which he played the lead role; he won a Theatre World Award for his performance. [7] He made his Los Angeles debut in Hitting Town (1980) and appeared in The Elephant Man (1980) that same year, during which he met his future wife, actress Juliet Mills. [7]

In the early 1980s, Caulfield was an active member of the Mirror Repertory Company, part of The Mirror Theater Ltd, performing in numerous repertory productions including Paradise Lost, [8] Rain, Inheritors and The Hasty Heart. [9] He made his debut Off-Broadway in 1981 as the title character, a homicidal drifter, in Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloane (alongside Joseph Maher and Barbara Bryne). His performance was widely praised; one critic wrote:

"Maxwell Caulfield is the ideal spider in the web", wrote one critic, saying he [Caulfield] was "as disarming of himself as he is of others – which gives this revival that tragic tinge of great comedy." [3] [10]

Caulfield made his Broadway debut in J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls opposite Siân Phillips. [3] He appeared with Jessica Tandy and Elizabeth Wilson in Salonika at the Public Theater in New York, appearing fully nude for much of the play, [11] and in Joe Orton's black comedy Loot at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. [7] In 2006, Caulfield drew attention over his bare-chested scene in the Off-Broadway two-hander Tryst , opposite Amelia Campbell. In 2007, he performed in the Charles Busch play Our Leading Lady with Kate Mulgrew. [11]

In 2007, Caulfield made his West End stage debut as Billy Flynn in the long-running London production of Chicago ; he then resumed the role of Flynn for the Broadway production in November 2007. [12] In 2011, he appeared in an Off-Broadway production of the comedy Cactus Flower . [13]

On Sunday 14th April 2024, Caulfield appeared in the 10th Anniversary Concert of Cool Rider (the Greasiest Sequel) at the London Palladium, this time assuming the role of Mr Stuart and taking on the song 'Reproduction'.

Television

Caulfield has appeared on Dynasty (1985–1986), The Colbys (1985–1987), Murder, She Wrote (1988–1991), Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), The Rockford Files: Godfather Knows Best (1996), Spider-Man (1995–1998), Casualty (2003–2004), Emmerdale (2009–2010) and NCIS (2013). He guest-starred on Modern Family (Season 4, Episode 16, "Bad Hair Day") playing Claire's ex-boyfriend and college professor. [14]

Personal life

Caulfield has been married since 1980 to actress Juliet Mills, daughter of actor Sir John Mills and writer Lady Mills (née Mary Hayley Bell), and is a brother-in-law of Jonathan Mills and actress Hayley Mills. Caulfield is stepfather to Melissa (née Miklenda; Mills' daughter from her second marriage) and Sean Caulfield (born Sean Alquist; Mills' son from her first marriage). [15] [3]

He became a naturalized United States citizen on 5 September 1991. [4]

Stage credits

YearTitleRoleTheatre
1978Hot Rock HotelDemetriusTruck and Warehouse Theatre, New York City
1979 Class Enemy Iron (Herron)Off-Broadway: Players' Theatre, West Village, New York City
1980 The Elephant Man John Merrick Florida tour
1980 Hitting Town RalphZephyr Theatre, Los Angeles
1980Crimes and DreamsFrazerOff-Broadway: Theater Four, New York City
1981–1982 Entertaining Mr Sloane SloaneOff-Broadway: Cherry Lane Theatre, New York City
1982 Journey's End Captain StanhopeCast Theatre, Los Angeles
1983 1984 Winston SmithCast Theatre, Los Angeles
1983 Paradise Lost Ben GordonTheatre at St. Peters Church, New York City
1983 Inheritors HoraceTheatre at St. Peters Church, New York City
1985SalonikaPeterOff-Broadway: The Public Theater, New York City
1987 Loot Dennis Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles
1987 Entertaining Mr Sloane Sloane Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles
1988 Sleuth Milo TindleUS National Tour
1991 Never the Sinner Richard Loeb Citadel Theatre, Edmonton (Canada)
1995 An Inspector Calls Gerald CroftBroadway: Royale Theatre, New York City
1995 Sweet Bird of Youth Chance Wayne Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, Massachusetts
1997 My Night with Reg JohnOff-Broadway: INTAR Theatre, New York City
1998 Dial M for Murder Cape Cod Playhouse, Dennis, Massachusetts
2002He HuntsDuchotel Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles
2006 Tryst George LoveOff-Broadway: Promenade Theatre, New York City
2006My DeahGator HedgepethOff-Broadway: June Havoc Theatre, New York City
2007Our Leading LadyHarry HawkOff-Broadway: New York City Center - Stage II, New York City
2007 La Cage aux Folles Georges Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit, Maine
2007 Chicago Billy FlynnWest End: Cambridge Theatre, London
2007 Chicago Billy FlynnBroadway: Ambassador Theatre, New York City
2008 A Little Night Music Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm Center Stage, Baltimore
2010 Bedroom Farce NickUK national tour
2010 The Rocky Horror Show The NarratorUK national tour
2011 Cactus Flower Dr. Julian WinstonOff-Broadway: Westside Theatre, New York City
2013–2014 Singin' in the Rain R.F. SimpsonUK national tour
2015 The Odd Couple Felix UngarLaguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach, California
2015 Legends! KlemmerAustralian tour
2015 My Fair Lady Henry HigginsAtwood Concert Hall, Anchorage, Alaska
2016 Guys and Dolls Nathan DetroitUK national tour
2018 Hangmen AlbertOff-Broadway: Linda Gross Theater, New York City
2019 The Lady Vanishes Dr. HartzUK national tour
2024 Cool Rider Mr StuartLondon Palladium

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1967 Accident TedCredited as Maxwell Findlater
1982 Grease 2 Michael Carrington
1984 Electric Dreams Bill
1985 The Boys Next Door Roy Tomas Alston
1986 The Supernaturals Pvt. Ray Ellis
1989 Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat Shane
Mind Games Eric Garrison
1990 Fatal Sky George Abbott
1992 Exiled in America Joe Moore
Animal Instincts David Cole
Dance with Death Shaughnessy
Waxwork 2 Mickey
1993No Escape No ReturnWilliam Robert Sloan
Gettysburg Col. Strong Vincent
Calendar Girl Man in Bathrobe
Midnight WitnessGarland
Alien Intruder Nick Mancuzo
1995 Empire Records Rex Manning
1996Prey of the JaguarDerek Leigh / The Jaguar
Oblivion 2: Backlash Sweeney
1997 Divine Lovers Jeff Thompson
The Man Who Knew Too Little British Agent
The Real Blonde Bob
1999More to LoveBarry Gordon
SmutUnfinished
DazzleTom
2000 Submerged Jim Carpenter
The Perfect TenantDaniel Summer
Overnight SensationMark Connor
2001The HitKeith
Facing the Enemy Harlan Moss
2004 Dragon Storm Silas
2006Dog Lover's SymphonyTom
2007Nightmare City 2035Alex McDowell
Cry of the Winged Serpent Griffin
2009Dire WolfSheriff Parker
2013The Right RegretsChris WickhamShort film
2015Those Who WanderRex
2016The TormentorsRob Turner
2020AxcelleratorRay Moritz
2022Butlers in LoveMr. Willoughby
Love Accidentally Craig
20237000 MilesBert
Craft Me a RomanceAlfred
2024 The Merry Gentlemen Danny

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1980 Ryan's Hope Punk4 episodes
1983Journey's EndCaptain StanhopeTV movie
The Powers of Matthew Star Scotty FergusonEpisode: "Starr Knight"
1984The ParadeJeffTV movie
1985–1986 Dynasty Miles Colby 9 episodes
1985–1987 The Colbys 49 episodes
1987 Hotel Alex MorrisonEpisode: "Pitfalls"
1988–1991 Murder, She Wrote Derek Padley/Roger Travis2 episodes
1989 Judith Krantz's Till We Meet Again Alain MaraisTV miniseries
1990 Counterstrike Van GelderEpisode: "Regal Connection"
Monsters Timothy DanforthEpisode: "Cellmates"
Beverly Hills, 90210 Jason CroftEpisode: "Class of Beverly Hills"
Blue BayouPhil SerullaTV movie
1991 Dynasty: The Reunion Miles Colby Miniseries
1994 Sirens Maxwell CaulfieldEpisode: "Crossing the Line"
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Andrew Strauss / David Lewis2 episodes
1995–1998 Spider-Man: The Animated Series Alistair Smythe / Ultimate Spider Slayer (voice)19 episodes
1996 The Rockford Files: Godfather Knows Best Ian LevinTV movie
The Lazarus Man General Custer Episode: "The Boy General"
1996–1997 All My Children Pierce Riley
1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave ArmandEpisode: "True Course"
Mike Hammer, Private Eye Tony BerelliEpisode: "The Maya Connection"
Veronica's Closet BrianEpisode: "Veronica's Bridal Shower"
1999 The Nanny Rodney PembrokeEpisode: "The Fran in the Mirror"
2000 Son of the Beach StevensEpisode: "A Star is Boned"
La Femme Nikita Helmut Volker2 episodes
Missing Pieces StuartTV movie
2000–2001 Strip Mall Rafe Barrett22 episodes
2003–2004 Casualty Jim Brodie58 episodes
2004 Holby City Jim BrodieEpisode: "Casualty @ Holby City: Part 2"
2006The Great San Francisco EarthquakeMayor SchmitzTV movie
2009–10 Emmerdale Mark Wylde 169 episodes
2013 NCIS Dr. Madison FieldingEpisode: "Revenge"
Modern Family Professor CookeEpisode: "Bad Hair Day"
DeVanity Richard DeVanity2 episodes
2015 A Prince for Christmas King of BalemontTV movie
I'm Not Ready for Christmas Greydon DuPois
Castle Sir Ian RasherEpisode: "The Wrong Stuff"
2021Lost & Found in RomeHoward ThorndykeTV movie
2021 American Horror Story: Double Feature Dwight's Friend #1Episode: "Take Me to Your Leader"
2022 Pam & Tommy Bob Guccione Episode 5: "Uncle Jim and Aunt Susie In Duluth"
2023 The Bay Sir Thomas Kenway7 episodes

Audiobook narrations

Video games

Discography

Awards and nominations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Mills</span> English actor (1908–2005)

Sir John Mills was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portrayed guileless, wounded war heroes. In 1971, he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Ryan's Daughter.

<i>Grease 2</i> 1982 film by Patricia Birch

Grease 2 is a 1982 American musical romantic comedy film, and a standalone sequel to the 1978 film Grease, adapted from the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Originally titled More Grease, the film was produced by Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood, and directed and choreographed by Patricia Birch, who choreographed the original stage production and prior film. The plot returns to Rydell High School two years after the original film's graduation, with a largely new cast, led by Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer in her first starring role.

Legends! is a comedic play written by James Kirkwood, Jr. It toured the United States with Mary Martin and Carol Channing in 1986, but never had a production on Broadway. The play concerns two aging rival film stars. Kirkwood wrote about the tour's adventures in his memoir Diary of a Mad Playwright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter MacNicol</span> American actor (born 1954)

Peter MacNicol is an American actor. He received a Theatre World Award for his 1981 Broadway debut in the play Crimes of the Heart. His film roles include Galen in Dragonslayer (1981), Stingo in Sophie's Choice (1982), Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II (1989), Gary Granger in Addams Family Values (1993), Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), and David Langley in Bean (1997).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juliet Mills</span> British-American actress (born 1941)

Juliet Maryon Mills is a British-American actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Irving</span> American actress and singer

Amy Irving is an American actress and singer, who worked in film, stage, and television. Her accolades include an Obie Award, and nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award.

<i>James Bond 007: Nightfire</i> 2002 first-person shooter video game

James Bond 007: Nightfire is a 2002 first-person shooter video game published by Electronic Arts (EA) for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows, with additional versions released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003, and Mac OS X in 2004. The computer versions feature modifications to the storyline, different missions, and the removal of driving sections used in home console versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Mills</span> Australian singer (born 1982)

Robert Mills is an Australian actor, television host and singer-songwriter. He was one of the finalists from the first season of Australian Idol in 2003. He co-hosted the late-night quiz show The Mint with his childhood idol, J-Dawg, the two would go on to star in the hit show Young Talent Time, and was a regular singer on the game show The Singing Bee both on the Nine Network. Mills took part in the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars, and appeared on Celebrity Apprentice. In 2008, Mills won the lead male role of Fiyero in a production of Wicked, and continued the role when it moved around Australia. He has since starred in a number of popular large scale musical theatre productions. In 2012, Mills was announced as the host of Network Ten's revamped Young Talent Time. He played teacher Finn Kelly on Neighbours from 2017 until 2022. He is engaged to Georgie Tunny from The Project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayley Mills</span> English actress (born 1946)

Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills is an English actress. The daughter of Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell and younger sister of actress Juliet Mills, she began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her performance in the British crime drama film Tiger Bay (1959), the Academy Juvenile Award for Disney's Pollyanna (1960) and Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleavon Little</span> American actor (1939–1992)

Cleavon Jake Little was an American stage, film and television actor. He began his career in the late 1960s on the stage. In 1970, he starred in the Broadway production of Purlie, for which he earned both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. His first leading television role was that of the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland on the ABC sitcom Temperatures Rising (1972–1974). While starring in the sitcom, Little appeared in what has become his signature performance, portraying Sheriff Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy film Blazing Saddles.

Peter Frechette is an American actor. He is a stage actor with two Tony Award nominations for Eastern Standard and Our Country's Good, and frequently stars in the plays of Richard Greenberg. He is well known on TV for playing hacker George on the NBC series Profiler and Peter Montefiore on Thirtysomething. In film, he is known for playing T-Bird Louis DiMucci in the musical Grease 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Hayley Bell</span> English actress, writer and dramatist (1911–2005)

Mary Hayley Bell, Lady Mills was an English actress and writer, married for 64 years to actor Sir John Mills. Her novel Whistle Down the Wind was adapted as a film, starring her teenaged daughter, actress Hayley Mills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Morse</span> American actor (born 1953)

David Bowditch Morse is an American actor. Morse became widely known for his role as Dr. Jack "Boomer" Morrison in the medical drama series St. Elsewhere (1982–88), and he has had roles in The Negotiator, The Good Son, Horns, Contact, The Green Mile, Dancer in the Dark, Disturbia, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Rock and 12 Monkeys.

Allan Leigh Lawson is an English actor, director and writer.

David Bedella is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in Jerry Springer: The Opera, In The Heights, and & Juliet. He has won three Olivier Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dossett</span> American actor and singer

John Dossett is an American actor and singer.

Jeffrey S. Carlson was an American Broadway, film, and television actor and singer, known for his role as the transgender character, Zoe Luper, on the long-running daytime soap opera All My Children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Siebert</span> American actor and television director (1938–2022)

Charles Alan Siebert was an American actor and television director. As an actor, he is best known for his role as Dr. Stanley Riverside II on the television series Trapper John, M.D., a role he portrayed from 1979 to 1986, and for his numerous appearances on the $25,000 Pyramid. After 1986, although he continued working as an actor, Siebert's career was focused on working as a director for episodic television for such shows as Xena: Warrior Princess, and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Doyle (actor)</span> American actor and singer (born 1987)

Matthew Finnen Doyle is an American actor and singer known for his work in musical theatre. He made his Broadway debut in 2007 in Spring Awakening as a replacement for the roles of Hanschen and Melchior. He later had supporting roles in the Broadway productions of Bye Bye Birdie in 2009 and War Horse in 2011. He joined Broadway's The Book of Mormon in 2012, replacing Nic Rouleau as the starring role of Elder Price. Following a period of performing Off-Broadway and regionally, which included starring as Anthony Hope in the 2017 Off-Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He joined the Broadway transfer of the gender-swapped production of Company in 2021 playing the role of Jamie originated by Jonathan Bailey in the West End. For his performance, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. In 2022, he returned to the Off-Broadway stage as Seymour Krelborn in the revival of Little Shop of Horrors.

James Greene, born James Thomas Nolan, was an American film, theater and television character actor. Greene was best known to television audiences for his recurring role as Councilman Fielding Milton, the oldest member of the fictional Pawnee city council on Parks and Recreation, as well as his starring role as Davey McQuinn the elevator operator on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, which aired for five seasons on NBC and Lifetime from 1987 to 1991. He also had a recurring role as Uncle Moodri in the Fox Network science fiction TV series Alien Nation.

References

  1. "Index entry (Maxwell PJ Newby)". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  2. "Index entry (Marcus RT Newby)". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Panarello, Joseph F., "Maxwell Caulfield Bares His Soul", Broadwayworld.com, 18 April 2006.
  4. 1 2 Court District: Central District of California, Court Place: Los Angeles, California (Petition Number: 00893343)
  5. Interview, scotsman.com. Accessed 11 November 2023.
  6. "Superiorpics.com". Superiorpics.com. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Celebrity Profiles, Maxwell Caulfield in SuperiorPics. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  8. "Actors Sabra Jones and Maxwell Caulfield in a Scene from the Mirror Repertory Theatre Production of the Play "Paradise Lost" (New York), Digital Public Library of America, Digital Public Library of America. 12 January 1983.
  9. Bennetts, Leslie. "REPERTORY COMPANY BLOSSOMS", The New York Times, 26 June 1984. Web. 13 January 2017.
  10. Review of Entertaining Mr. Sloane, The New York Times, 4 September 1981.
  11. 1 2 Maxwell Caulfield at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
  12. Chicago, Broadway.com [website], "Maxwell Caulfield, Jeff McCarthy on Deck to Play Billy Flynn in Chicago", 1 November 2007.
  13. Gans, Andrew, "Cactus Flower, With Maxwell Caulfield and Lois Robbins, to End-Off Broadway Run", 5 April 2011.
  14. Maxwell Caulfield at IMDb
  15. Maxwell Caulfield biography, FilmReference.com. Retrieved 10 April 2011.